Question for Those With Suspect/Actual Strictures or Ulcers

[talking mountain 26]

I am one month post-op (RNY gastric bypass) and have started having symptoms that could suggest a stricture and/or a marginal ulcer. Everything I've read seems to say that endoscopy (tube w/tiny camera down your throat) is the "gold standard" for determining if you have either of these conditions.

However, my doctor is wanting me to go through an upper GI (studies have shown that these fail to find ulcers in their early stages fairly frequently). I am reluctant to go through a third upper GI in a month simply because that is a lot of radiation in a short period of time.

So, my question for those of you who have ever had a suspected a stricture and/or an ulcer, did you go thru an Upper GI test first, or did you go straight to an endoscopy?

Thanks!

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

So sorry to hear this.What symptoms are you having?

[talking mountain 26]

Hi Pinkgirl! Over the past two weeks I've developed a kind of constant low-grade nausea, and strong aversions to anything but a few foods (I was eating and trying new things without any problems). After I eat there is a lot of gurgling and sometimes discomfort or even pain.

Drinking cold Water, which I was doing fine, has become uncomfortable (room-temperature Water is still unpleasant but tolerable).

Taking pills, which I was also doing fine, has become difficult; once I took them sitting down and they seemed to "get stuck." Another time I bent over to load the diswasher right after swallowing and the pill seemed to "come back up" and get stuck somehow. Both of those incidents caused violent gagging & nausea which thankfully went away after I chewed up a cracker and swallowed it.

I think the pills the main reason they want to investigate further. But I'm really reluctant to get yet another big dose or radiation so soon since my symptoms are fairly vague. And I am trying to figure out why they are recommending the Upper GI instead of endoscopy since every medical article I've read says that endoscopy is more effective.

[Sannah09 7]

Hello.

I have had both stricture/stenosis. I also currently have several ulcers on my hook up.

I had a scope to diagnosis both of these conditions. An ulcer can over heal becoming a stricture. The ulcer can also quickly become a leak.

My surgeons have always gone straight to scope.

I have already survived a leak.

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[zypper 0]

Hi,

My ulcer journey started with feeling fine to a bout of dry heaving that suddenly brought up a blood clot the size of my palm. I remained nauseous as I experienced the emergency room and was hospitalized. They completed an endoscopy and found an ulcer on my dueodenem. It was to small to cauterize during the endoscopy. I spent 2 days in the hospital on IV, morphine, and Ativan. I was released on a clear liquid diet. I am still in the process. Drs. Prescribed Several medications to eliminate the ulcer. So, currently I am scared for healing and further complications. The week before the hospital visit, I had constant severe pains under my right rib cage. Once the blood clot came up the pain disappeared. I have read others describing pain under their rib cage before an ulcer diagnosis.

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[Jo Scott 11]

I am so sorry to hear about these problems post op. I did have a slightly similar experience. 3 weeks post op, I started throwing up coffee grounds (looked like) for about 2 days. My throat felt like glass shards when ever I swallowed I went to the ER in my home town and they shipped me to my doc about 2 hours away, bigger hospital. He did do an xray, upper GI study and later on an upper endoscopy. Turns out I had a partial bowel obstruction. I had thrown up so violently, I kind of burned the inside of my esophagus, therefore the painful swallowing. Even though I had these set backs, 7 months later it was all worth the hassel. Diabetes is kicked, my hemoglobin a1c had gone from 9.6 to 6.2, no more insulin or meds and I have lost 78lb, feel much more energetic and happier as well.

[Megan1982 1]

I had a stricture; similar intolerance to foods; nausea; etc. Went to my doc who had me do a barium swallow and determined it was a stricture. I went in for scope to dilate esophagus and am now totally fine. Simplest procedure I've ever had.

[Steven1954 89]

I've had an rny. Six weeks later ended up. In ER. Now three months later I've had five balloon endoscopies. Not out of woods yet. Closing up again